Alzheimer’s Learning Day Gives Millennials a Chance to Step Up

An estimated 5.4 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, a number that is expected to rise as high as 16 million by 2050.i As the number of Americans living with Alzheimer’s increases, so too does the need for both professional and family caregivers. On Alzheimer’s LearningSM Day, September 21st, Home Instead Senior Care® offices across the U.S. will provide Alzheimer’s webinars and training events for people of all ages.

Currently, millennials make up 25 percent of family caregivers in the U.S., and the number of millennials caring for a parent or grandparent with Alzheimer’s or other dementia related diseases must skyrocket to address a shrinking caregiver base.ii As the number of Alzheimer’s diagnoses rises, the ratio of caregivers will shrink from 7:1 to 3:1 by 2050iii, and millennials may be tasked with taking on increased caring responsibilities, looking after both aging parents and grandparents.iv

“When we think of the family caregiver, we often picture a baby boomer responsible for caring for their elderly parent. But as the population ages, the responsibility of caregiving will increasingly fall on younger Americans,” explained Jeff Huber, president and CEO of the Home Instead Senior Care network.

“Millennials are already starting to take on caregiving roles in their families, and as Alzheimer’s diagnoses rise, it’s essential that they fully understand the disease and are armed with the necessary information to effectively care for those who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.”

As part of Alzheimer’s Learning Day, a new website, AlzLearn.com, has been developed that includes links to various trainings designed to help educate society on how to help care for and create a welcoming community for those living with Alzheimer’s or other dementias and their caregivers. Training options range from five- to thirty-minute courses for a variety of audiences, including business owners, first responders, family caregivers and more.

“The resources that are being provided through Alzheimer’s Learning Day will not only give participants the opportunity to understand what it means to care for someone living with the disease and other forms of dementia,” says Huber, “but the chance to simply be more compassionate and respectful when the day inevitably occurs when they meet someone living with the disease.”

Take an E-Learning Class - Visit the Help for
Alzheimer’s Families website to find an online Alzheimer’s and dementia class that interests you.

While millennials will become caregivers for those with Alzheimer’s in the near future, these are steps that anyone can take to become more informed about Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

“It is important that people from all generations learn more about Alzheimer’s and other dementias,” said Diane Bovenkamp, PhD, Vice President, Scientific Affairs at BrightFocus Foundation, and invited expert panelist in the Alzheimer’s Learning Day U.S. and Canada Professional Caregiver webinars taking place on September 21 and 26. “By educating ourselves about Alzheimer’s and dementia, we can create a community of caregivers ready to face the disease.”

Community members can view program resources and watch educational webinars with Alzheimer’s care experts the day of and after Alzheimer’s Learning Day on the Alzheimer’s Learning Day website
www.AlzLearn.com. Or, contact your local Home Instead Senior Care office for additional resources and to learn how their professional CAREGiversSM may be able to assist. Find an office near you by visiting
www.homeinstead.com/state/.